The rough road to happily ever after
by bubblybrooke337
Summary: Two months after the incident Owen left Claire without word never answered her calls or spoke to her again. A little over a year later they are back on the island together. If only Owen had answered his phone, he would have known who else Claire brought to the island. T-to be safe
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone, this is my first time posting. I wanted a story like this but couldn't seem to find one so I thought I'd write it myself. Comments and critiques please.

* * *

Owen Grady hates the main park. Before the I-Rex he used to love it; the main park meant catching glimpses of the unattainable—especially after their disastrous date—Claire Dearing. His heart used to thrill at the sight of her, but now even just the chance of seeing her cuts through him, and makes his chest feel like every rib is being peeled back to reveal his heart. The few and far between jaunts through the main park are filled with memories of the I-Rex, the fear, the elation of Claire's hands on his body. Those memories take him to the ones of the first two months after the incident, reminding him how good he slept with Claire curled on his chest, then to how it hurt to leave her, how it still hurts every moment. He left her, like a coward he had packed up his things and relocated to a different InGen department in a different city while she was back on the island for a week with all the higher ups trying to decide what to do.

But when Barry gets bitten and needs medical attention—though Owen thinks he was being a little dramatic—Owen finds himself making his way through the park to the daycare center to pick up Jessa, Barry's daughter.

As he enters the bright and sunshiney daycare, his mind betrays him—like it so often does—and he wonders what the baby he might have made with Claire would have looked like. _It would have had her eyes_ he thinks as he makes his way to the playroom. Just as the doubts over this choice start to creep into his mind, he hears Jessa's happy shriek as she toddles towards him

Swinging the toddler into his arms Owen can feel his constantly heavy heart lighten a little. The doubts that creep in when he lets his guard down slink away when his mind gets involved in more pressing matters—like a happy toddler for instance. With Jessa on his hip he goes to find a worker to proceed with the check out process. As he passes the infant room he hears some of the caretakers complaining

"Its time for the HBIC to get her picture" a woman's voice announces to her coworker—Owen could practically hear her eye roll. "every hour on the hour, she is three months old its not like anything interesting happens"

"Lets just get it over with, remember the phone calls we got last time we were two minutes late" her coworker replied. Owen's mind betrays him again and he thinks that's just what Claire would be like as a mom.

"Look here Ollie" the short woman sing-songed, as the shutter sounds Owen glances towards it.

* * *

Claire's hand falls absentmindedly to her stomach as she looked at the picture on her phone. She was glad that the position she held allowed her to make requests that would not be honored if she were not the boss. She didn't often abuse this power before the incident, but things had changed.

Every hour on the hour the daycare was to send her a picture of Olivia, Claire's beautiful two-month-old daughter.

These pictures are the only beautiful things about Claire's day; the rest is filled with anguish over Owen and endless meetings. He had left in the night; no word no warning just gone.

She had bought a pregnancy test at a pharmacy in Costa Rica before she went to the island. When it came back positive she had tried to call Owen but the cell tower on the island had been knocked over. The idea of their tiny person growing inside of her had kept her elated for the entire trip; in every boring meeting she had been suppressing her smile. But then she came home, to what she thought was their home, and he was gone. She had called him and left so many messages that first night, never mentioning the baby though. That night she had thought it was a mistake, he was going to come back and there had just been some miscommunication. He would walk through the door and she would have the dinosaur onsie to show him. When he never called back, and she went to work to discover he had transferred to a new city, she climbed into bed for a week crying and heartbroken. It was in bed she made the choice to keep her baby, that she too would transfer away, to save face when she started showing, and to keep anyone who might know Owen from telling him.

It had been the hardest thing she had ever done, and probably the least healthy. Every moment of her pregnancy was agony and joy, but Olivia was worth it.

It had been two months since her family of two had moved on to this island.

Karen had called her crazy, but Claire was her work. Well her work and her daughter. She couldn't not be on the island, if she wasn't she wouldn't have her job, and she needed to raise her daughter in a place that was the essence of Owen. So they had come.

She wasn't involved in the animal recapture—only returning to the park when the animals had been placed away and the amenities and building repaired—so she hadn't known Owen would be there.  
Owen being there almost changed Claire's mind, how could she keep her daughter from him, but she risked it comforted by the fact that Owen would never go to the nursery.

Clair looks down at her phone again; using the image of her daughter to ground her in the present, pull her from the memories and doubts clouding her mind. Her heart stops her mind stops. The careful, reasonable assumption that Owen would never be near the nursery proved wrong in one photo. _The only photo of my daughter with her father_ Claire's cruel mind reminds her, because there he is, casually glancing into the room that holds her daughter.


	2. Chapter 2

chapter 2...

* * *

Owen's glare at the piece of paper in his hand could probably kill a person, the piece of paper detailing that his new raptors would be part of the grand opening. More specifically Owen's glare is focusing on Claire's signature. He would have to talk to her, he couldn't talk to her, but he had to. Owen knew this was an eventuality. When he had heard she was coming back he had seriously entertained leaving. _I still don't understand why I didn't leave_ Owen thinks ruefully. _But I do know why, I'm not strong enough to run away from her again._

So its time, tomorrow morning Owen would rip off the band aid of seeing the woman he loved. The woman who his heart beat for. The woman he ran away from.

The plan forming in Owen's head goes something along the lines of pretending she is someone else, barging in, and yelling. Of all the ways Owen imagined having to face her for the first time, this wasn't it, honestly he wanted it to be romantic, a grand please forgive me gesture, he knows its not a possibility but that doesn't mean he doesn't dream about it.

Owen purposely barges into Claire's office bypassing her new secretary. Ignoring her calm voice saying, "Ms. Dearing is not here".

"I can't believe you" Owen's anger rumbling his voice, "these raptors aren't ready and they aren't some circus act" he turns around to start a lap of pacing, stopping in his tracks when he sees there is no Claire here.

"Where the hell is she?" Practically hissing at her assistant.

"Ms. Dearing works from home on Wednesdays…" she probably was still talking but Owen was too busy being floored by the idea of Claire not working to hear while he was he was walking away.

Anger and shock dominate Owen's mind, but it isn't anger over the raptors anymore it's anger over how he doesn't know Claire anymore, his Claire was not the woman to take a day off, even on the weekends. He had to convince her to take breaks when they were together.

Owen's mind gets clouded with memories for a moment.

' _Come on Dearing… its no pants Saturday' Owen smiled at Claire as his fingers played zipper at the back of her skirt._

 _'I'm not wearing pants Owen, I am wearing a skirt' Claire giggled 'and after this conference call I'll be done'_

 _'You don't need pants, or a skirt for a call' Owen's voice got husky as his playing turned to pulling and her skirt started slipping down a little._

 _'Owen..' Claire pulled her phone out, and started an email_

 _'You're the boss Dearing….. They are your underlings, you can cancel, hell they'll appreciate not having a weekend conference call'_

 _'Owen' Claire chastised 'They are you colleagues'_

 _'Yeah so I know them better than you… come on Claire finish the email you've already started writing cancelling this dumb call so we can get back to no pants Saturday'_

 _As soon as Owen heard the swish of a sent email he threw Claire over his shoulder and practically ran back to their room._

Back in the present, questions starting to fill Owen's mind. _Did she have someone else? Did she love this asshole? I bet he wears suits._

He wasn't noticing where his feet were taking him till he was looking up at the penthouse. Claire lived there before the island went to hell maybe she was up there now. Maybe she is sleeping in, her naked body curled up on asshole's chest, practically purring like she used to with him. A spiteful rage monster rose in Owen's chest. _Fuck her day off; she is the boss she can't just lay in bed with her boyfriend_ _I'm going up there._

* * *

Wednesday is Claire's favorite day. Wednesday means cuddling, playing, and just being around her daughter. She did a little work—memos and reports—but the only person she spoke to was her daughter; Wednesday is for peace, quiet, and baby time.

An angry pounding on her door pulls her from the mesmerizing sight of her daughter lying peaceful in her bassinet next to Claire's desk, it also threatened to wake the blissfully sleeping infant. _I will murder this person and if they wake Olivia I will make it a slow torturous death_. Clad in her PJ set she threw open the door while spitting out a "what".

* * *

 _I love this woman_. Looking at Claire, standing in one of his favorite outfits—her ducky PJs. Those PJs meant pancakes, holding each other on the couch, and comfortable silences. One look at her and Owen is speechless and feels at peace for the first time in months.

"I, uh…" Owen sputters _pull it together, you are not this guy, confidence man come on._

"What? You uh… what? Thought it would be appropriate to harass me at my home? This is wildly unprofessional Mr. Grady" _God she sounds like ice_ Owen thinks, internally shrinking. _You're no one to her, so sack up man, think of your job._

"This Claire" he retorts shoving the report in her face. "You can't force them to preform at the 'opening ceremony' they aren't circus animals."

"It's Ms. Dearing, _Mister_ Grady, and if assets aren't for performing then what purpose do they serve, and what purpose do you serve as a _raptor_ _trainer_ " her voice carries the tangible loathing to Owen's ears.

Her tone kills him; he can only hear anger and resentment in it. He starts to stutter out something when the loud shriek of a crying baby interrupts him, and the color drains from Claire's face. The sputter turns into a question.

"What the hell" Owen asks but Claire has already turned her back and retreated towards the sound.

Shock and curiosity over runs Owen's common sense, with a quick foot he stops the door from closing and follows Claire into the penthouse. _Why is there a baby? Whose baby? It can't be Claire's baby she must be babysitting._ But as Owen rounds the corner to the scene of Claire with a baby in her arms. There is no question; the look of maternal love written all over her face, this baby is hers.

* * *

Not the best I'll admit... but I wanted to move the story along quickly


	3. Chapter 3

Owen in the same room as her daughter is just a bit too much. _This was not how it was suppose to go_ , _why would he follow me, why is he here, why is he looking at me like that._ Owen is looking at Claire like she is the most beautiful thing in the world, like he loves her. Claire starts fussing over her daughter knowing she wants changed but Claire is unwilling to do anything until Owen is gone.

"Mr. Grady you have invaded my home, please leave so I can take care of my…" the word daughter sticks in Claire's throat. Her voice is shaking, the words coming out but not completely masking the tears that were threatening to fall.

As if Olivia wants to cry the tears Claire is refusing to, her bawling intensifies. "Hush Ollie, hush sweetheart, leave Owen... please." He doesn't leave, and the needs of her baby are trumping the reluctance of leaving Owen in her living room.

As Claire leaves, she is hyper aware that Owen doesn't, he sits down, the look of love and shock still on his face.

* * *

With Olivia changed, and sound asleep again Claire cautiously made her way out of the nursery and into the living room.

 _Ollie? The baby from daycare? 3 month old Ollie whose mom was the head bitch in charge. Claire has a 3 month old daughter. I left her 11 months ago. I….oh god why did I leave?_ Owen just stopped thinking after those thoughts. Elbow on his knees, head in his hands he sat paralyzed until Claire's voice broke him out of the shock.

"Why are you still here" her voice is tired, she sounds like she sounded on the messages she left him, small, emotional, and broken.

"Claire, where else would I be? You have daughter, she's what? 3 months?" he speaks so softly he wouldn't be surprised if she can't hear him.

"Please leave" _She looks like a skittish horse_ Owen realizes, she is standing on the other side of the room with her arms wrapped around herself and eyes wild.

"She's mine, isn't she? You were pregnant when I left weren't you"

"That's all that matters Owen, you left" her voice cracks and as the tears start falling Owen is up and across the room wrapping his arms around her as she starts to sob and collapses.

Claire hasn't cried since that week right after he left, but him here, knowing about his daughter, she can't keep the pain away and can't keep the tears behind the damn anymore. Owen's arms around her only make the tears flow harder, her legs buckle and they sink to the floor together.

Owen sits back against the wall, and gathers Claire in his arms. She can feel him peppering her head with kisses, whispering "I'm sorry, I should never have left you, god how could I do this to you, I'm sorry" and Claire could swear he mouthed I love you against her scalp, and she feels the wetness of his own tears on her hair.

They sat like that until the sounds of Olivia waking up could be heard.

Claire makes a move to get out of Owen's lap but his arms tighten around her.

"Claire" she could barely hear him, his voice was so soft, "I.." forcing herself Claire meets his gaze and can't help but inhale in shock at the pain she sees there "I… I'd love to meet her, I know you have to hate me, I know what I did was unforgivable, I know we need to talk, but I'd like to meet my daughter"

Instead of responding Claire stands up and extends her hand to Owen. She helps him up and leads him down the hallway. She wants to say something, but everything she is feeling seems to block all the words from leaving her mouth.

Claire pauses in the door of the nursery, looking at Owen as he looks at their daughter. _There aren't words to describe the look on his face_ she thinks _love, fear its all there._ He grips her hand harder.

Standing in the entrance, looking at the crib that holds his daughter, he didn't know what to do. He wants to walk over and see her face, he only saw the back of her head earlier, he want's to hold her. Claire—the most amazing woman in the world for even touching him right now—gives his hand a little squeeze before she lets go. _I guess that means go_. Owen feels like he is floating as he walks across to the crib. He knew he loved her when he figured out she belonged to him, but actually seeing her. Seeing her sleepy baby smile, hearing her coos and gurgles, he knows that the love he was feeling, was barely a blip compared to what he was feeling now. Picking her up Owen made his way to the rocking chair, his eyes fixed on her, laughing slightly as she reaches her tiny baby hands to his face, clumsily petting him.

He didn't notice Claire had left, but she was standing beside him now with a bottle.

He fed her, he burped her, and he talked to her, changed her, and rocked her back to sleep, all while the tears flowed freely down his face.

It was when Olivia was asleep that Claire spoke.

"Why Owen" so softly he could barely hear here over the small sweet snores coming from his daughter.

His clutch tightens on his daughter as his eyes meet Claire's. She is sitting against the wall opposite him, he assumes her puffy eyes and tear stains match his.

"I was scared" his voice cracks, "I realized that I loved you…love you… in the forever way, the will never love another way, and then you made a joke about board shorts. I'm board shorts and you're business suits and it just kinda sunk in that you were…are… my forever but I'm just board shorts."

"Owen, I love…" she made a sound like she was choking "I love you" the sobs she had been holding back break free and Owen's heart breaks more. As quickly as he can with out disturbing Olivia, he places her back in the crib and rushes to gather Claire in his arms once again. He moves them to the living room and sits on the couch with Claire in his arms. They cry together, more talking can come later.

* * *

The entirety of Wednesday proceeded in the same fashion as the morning. Owen took care of Olivia, it seemed like he was trying to make up for the time he had missed. They talked a bit, between bouts of crying together. Lying on Claire's bed Owen has Olivia on his chest and Claire tucked under his arm. _This is heaven, Claire, me, and our baby, I've died and gone to heaven._

He feels Claire waking up, feels her stiffen, relax, sit up, as she starts to lift Olivia off her chest and Owen would protest, but hears her muttering to Olivia "Come on sweet heart, lets put you safe in your bassinet, close at hand but no chance of Daddy or me crushing you". Owen wanted to stay still, see how Claire would behave, but hearing Claire label him as Daddy was causing a massive smile to break out on his face.

"What are you smiling about Mister Grady" Claire's quiet voice was full of gentle teasing.

"You called me Daddy, it sounded good, sounded like family" the growing grin on his face was starting to hurt.

Claire perches herself on the foot of the bed.

"I have an extra key to my room for you, and I will be adding your name to the list of people who can remove her from daycare" her tone is all business, Owen realizes he pushed her too far—smiling and drawing attention to what she obviously hadn't wanted him to hear—and she is retreating. "It's 4am, you're welcome to stay here and sleep, I'll sleep on the couch if you need anything. I imagine you'll be up early for the raptors, just wake me when you leave so I can take care of her."

She's shocked when Owen gets up. "thank you… for everything, but it's your bed, I'll head back to my bungelo"

She rises too, reaching for him as he makes for the door. "It's 4am, you might as well stay here, you'll get marginally more sleep" _She's touching me, so there's that_

"Okay but I'll sleep on the couch, it's your bed"

"You're too tall for the couch, and it's uncomfortable anyway. You'll get no sleep and I can't have it be my fault that you got hurt working with the raptors because you got no sleep." She's got her boss face on, but there is underlying care in her voice.

"I don't work with the raptors directly, Barry won the coin toss this time. I'll take the couch" as her protests begin Owen nips them in the bud "You're not my boss in here Claire, you're the mother of my beautiful daughter, and I've put you through enough, my penance can start with a night on the couch." He walks out before she can start protesting more.

But Owen doesn't sleep on the couch, he stays wide awake thinking. How can he get Claire to trust him, how can he make them a family. He's awake when Claire starts fussing about getting ready for her day, but keeps pretending to be asleep so he doesn't interrupt her routine.

Claire's morning routine included yoga, a light breakfast and then getting Olivia ready, but Owen asleep on the couch is distracting. _He looks tired_ she notes, and it's more than just an emotional day tired, it looks like he hasn't been sleeping for months. It feels like a better idea to forgo yoga and wake Owen so that is what she does.

"Owen…"

"I'm up Claire" he mumbles while sitting up

"I'm going to feed Olivia, and then get her" Before she can finish telling Owen her morning plan he interrupts with.

"How can I help," It always amazes Claire how quickly he can go from relatively asleep to wide awake so quickly.

"Um…" she sputters, "If you want to pack her bag while I feed her, I can tell you what she takes"

"Yes Ma'am" his mock salute makes a giggle escape Claire's throat.

* * *

Owen is trying his absolute hardest to not look at Claire while she is breastfeeding. He almost feels like he is the Navy again. Keep your head down and follow orders, don't look up don't disobey. He is amazed at the things Claire keeps track of: Apparently Olivia goes through 7 diapers a day, with a safety of 9 packed in the bag, she takes 6oz of food every 4 hours, and Claire always packs a clean set of clothes just in case. When the feeding is done, Owen offers to do the burping so Claire can get dressed.

"I love you little one" Owen coos at her, while patting her back "I never used to like olives but I love you, you're my Olive." He's dancing around, patting her back, and telling her how much he loves her when Claire walks back in.

"You're amazing with her Owen" as good as she looked in her PJs the business dress that hugged her new—post baby—curves made Owen's heart rate sky rocket.

Clearing his throat to remove the lump her presence had caused "uh… probably the animal behavior skills… you look amazing" swallowing heavily he shifts his gaze to his daughter to avoid Claire's eyes.

"Thank you Owen, now it's time for daycare for your little… Olive?" he was hearing something new in her voice. There was business, but it was more intimate than her straight to business voice. _Progress_

"I like it" Owen says shrugging his shoulders, "Can I come with you to daycare?"

"Owen" he can hear sympathy in her voice "I'll put you on her approved pick up list, but I think that will raise enough questions and I would prefer to avoid stares this morning" He tries masking how hurt he is but he is fairly sure—from the look she is giving him now—she can see it all over his face.

"Yeah…. No I get it…" quickly changing the subject to avoid her pity he says with a rye smile "I know you, you probably already have a laminated list for me but what are the rules for that, for checking her out and everything. Like where I can take her, what I can do with her. Times you've approved for me seeing her. You know that stuff"

Claire chuckles and starts moving towards him "honestly Owen, I haven't even thought of that yet. Wanting to add you was more of impulse than a thought-out idea. So for now, before I can get you a laminated list" she smiles teasingly at him "how about you just ask me and bring her here."

Owen is reluctant to relinquish Olivia, the 11 months he wasn't in her life—and honestly does the first month of her existence even count—is weighing heavily on him. He never wants to be away from her ever again, and while daycare isn't like he'll never see her again, it hurts.

Claire must see the look in his eye "I know how you feel, letting go of her for her first day of daycare was hard for me too, but I promise she'll be fine" there is a twinkle of a laugh in her voice.

A chuckle bubbles from Owen and as Olivia coos happily at the sound he directs his attention to the baby in his arms "Olive I love you, you're Daddy loves you so much. I'm never going to miss another day of your life young lady." Owen links his pinky finger with his daughter's tiny hand and goes "Pinky promise."

* * *

At 9:00am Owen's phone beeps. He doesn't recognize the number, but when he looks and sees it's a picture of his baby girl, he realizes Claire not only put him on the list. She is making them send him pictures too. His face doesn't feel big enough to contain the smile that breaks out. _Guess it pays to have the boss for a baby mama._ Owen makes the mental reminder to never call Claire a baby mama anywhere but his own head; that would ruin all the progress.

Claire isn't able to focus on anything today. The memories of Owen and their daughter float around her brain, and when they aren't the temptation to look at the pictures she took of them yesterday are willingly given into. She doesn't think he noticed that while he held her, fed her, and cooed at Olivia she was snapping pictures. It felt childish and silly but at the same time the urge to document the monumental event was there.

* * *

Claire was also trying—and failing—to keep the smiles from leaking out across her face. The feeling of happiness that they were reunited, a family, was intense, but she was trying to not feel it. The fear that Owen would run away again, that she would open herself to him, allow him to be her family again, and he would run was a legitimate one. And with Olivia to care for she couldn't risk it. When Owen left she was catatonic, broken, Olivia fixed her, but Claire didn't want to burden her daughter with that task again. A pregnant belly was one thing, but being broken and putting the burden of repair on her daughter was another.


End file.
